I’m so happy with this sweater! Looks so nice on & fits like a glove.

The yarn combo (which I held double) was inspired by Febr12’s Searching for Seashells. It is soso soft and blocks like a dream. The alpaca desaturates the Tosh a bit, and I really love the color like this. It resembles well loved an much worn jeans even more.

To get this fit I had to do quite some mods. The pattern is written for more positive ease than looks good on my linebacker upper half.

So here’s what I did:

• Gauge: 24 x 34
• CO 176 (18 st less than smallest size)
• Dec 4 times for waist shaping (row 5, 10, 16, 21 of chart)
• Inc 8 times every 6 rows, starting on row 46 of chart
• Vertical bust darts: started on row 16 of chart, 19 st from front side marker (k to bust dartm, slm, rli, k to next bust dartm, lli). Incs on row 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28). Knit the diamond eyelet section, decs on row 5,6,9,10, 17, 18, 24)
• Wider neckline: 8 st for shoulder
• Sleeves: kept on decreasing every 12th row until 38 st left for ribbing

Tubular CO and BO, because I’d never done that before, and although it’s a royal pain, it’s worth it.

For the ribbing and sleeve caps I used a 2.75 needle, for the body a 3.0 and for the sleeves (due to tighter magic looping) a 3.5.

Never done short row sleeve caps, first one I had to frog twice. First because I didn’t really understand the concept, second time I fu’d up execution. They look good now, and I think it’s an elegant way to get the look of a set-in sleeve, but be able to work them from the top down (and lining up any pattern thing you have going on).

Thanks for the great pattern Amy, I loved knitting this and the result is beyond expectations. Maybe next spring a white cotton/linen blend Birkin in the spirit of miss Jane herself?